Refrigerating cabinet



Patented Apr. 159, 1932 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE 'WILFRED FOURNESS,0]! PASADENA, CALIFORNIA,ASSIGNOR BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO FOURNESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA-TION OF NEW YORK REFBIGERATING CABINET Application filed August 3, 1926.Serial No. 126,908.

This invention relates to refrigeration and cooling, and especially to asystem adapted to cabinets usually involvesthe passage of a' coldrefrigerant through a series of convolution's, placed in the interior ofthe cabinet in v such a way that a substantially uniform low temperatureis obtained in all parts of the cabinet. The cooling effect is securedin the same manner as in the usual refrigerating system; for example, arefrigerant such as su1 phur dioxide, can be caused to pass through theusual cycle of expansion and evaporation with attendent absorption ofheat, in an expansionspace, usually in the form of a series ofconvolutions. It has been attempted in prior systems to provide uniformlow temperatures in the vcabinet by proper distribution of theconvolutions; but this is sometimes inconvenient, nor is it alwaysthoroughly efficacious.

It is one of the objects of my invention to secure substantialuniformity of temperature in a simple and inexpensive manner.

It is another object of my invention to provide this uniformity bysetting up a movement of the air in convection currents, in the V spaceto be cooled.

It is still another object of my invention to make it possible to fitthe system to any sized space to be cooled, by providing additionalunits of equipment.

' My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a form in thedrawings accompanyin-g and formingpart of the present specification. Ishall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates thegeneral principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that thisdetailed description'is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of my invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fi re 1 is a horizontal sectional View, of a cab1 et incorporating myinvention, the section being taken substantially along plane 11 of Fig.3, but with certain parts omitted for clarity; I r

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, of the cabinet shown in Fig.1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along plane 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing how my invention can be adapted to largersize spaces or cabinets.

In the present instance I show my invention applied to a store cabinet,having an interior space well insulated against heat. For

examplefl'the cabinet ingeneral can. have exterior walls 11 of wood, aswell as a bottom 12 of wood. A hefivy cork lining 13 can be used ifdesired. A rim or band 14 extezgs completely around the cabinet and overe lining of insulation 13. Sheet metal flashing 15 covers the layer .13and provides in addi-' tion a water tight lining. v v The rim 14 servesto support the glass front structure, which consists in this instance oftwo spaced sloping glass walls 16 and 17. These plates 16 and 17 restupon the band 14, and can be held in place thereat by molding 18. Thetop of the cabinet can also be formed of double glass plates 19 and 20.The rear edges of these plates are fastened to the rear wall 11 and alining 21 of wood which extends above band 14. Molding 22 across thislining 21 servesas a rest for the bottom plate 20. Both plates 19 and 20are cemented or otherwise fastened adjacent their front edges to plates16 and 17.; and 'a molding 23 can be "up of insulation and flashinglinings in a manner similar to the walls of the cabinet.

As thus far described, the cabinet is of the and that can be used todisplay meat or other foods. Trays 27 of Wire or the like can rest onthe shoulders'28 formed above the cork insulation 13 and by the aid ofthe band14. Upon these trays the "food on display can rest. A slightdistance below the trays, a

pan 29 of sheet metal is provided to catch drippings; the rear and sidesbeing supported by the aidof upturned flanges 30, upon the rear and sidewalls of the cabinet. The front edge is also flanged, as indicated at31, Fig. 3,

but is spaced from the front of the cabinet to permit air circulationbetween the upper and lower portions of the cabinet. A plurality ofbrackets 32 serve to support this front edge. The pan 29 slopes to therear in order to drain the moisture; and a drain pipe 33 serves to drainthis moisture from the pan.

The refrigerant in a liquid state is supplied to the various expansionspaces inside of the cabinet, through a pipe 34; and it returns in agaseous state from the cabinet through a pipe 35. Both these pipesextend below the pan 29. The liquid refrigerant passes through pipe 34into a container or chamber 36, the details of which are disclosed mostclearly in Fig. 3. This chamber presents a large and sudden increase inthe area of the space through which the refrigerant must pass, andtherefore rapid evaporation with cooling, results. Such a chamber isdescribed and claimed in a pending application filed May 10, 1926, in myname, entitled Refrigcrating system and having Serial. Number 109,306.It is in the form of a double walled container, in the present instancecylindrical, between the walls of which the refrigerant is conducted. 7

Y The chamber 36 is chown, inthis instance as made from an inner andouter cylinder to which the apertured ends 37 are welded toform a closedcontainer. By placing the chamber 36 inan upright position, it is seenthat the inner cylinder forms a flue for the passage of air, which iscooled by contact with thechamber and settles close to the bottom of thecabinet. The chamber 36 rests on legs or supports 38 fastened to thebottom of the cabinet, but which do not impede the flow of convectioncurrents in the chamber. The provision of a flue-like container is ofconsiderable importance. I t initiates an efficient movement of cold airin the cabinet and provides a uniform degree of cold therein.

The pipe leads into the chamber 36 at or below the normal liquid linetherein- The outlet pipe has an upwardly extending portion 39 (Fig. 3)connecting near the top of the chamber 36, well above the liquid leveltherein.

- I preferably provide another expansion chamber 40 of the samestructure as chamber 36, but at the other end of the cabinet. The

pan 29 is cut around these tanks, and has depending portions 41 defininga square space with the corners of the cabinet to accommodate thesechambers.

I conduct refrigerant from chamber 36 into chamber 40 through a pipe orconduit 42 in the form of a series of convolutions, disposed immediatelybelow the trays 27. These convolutions also assist in cooling theinterior of the cabinet, and thus serve a double function. The conduit42 connects -to both tanks 36 and 40 below the liquid level, whereby thetransfer of cold refrigerant through the conduit is effected. Theexpanded gaseous refrigerant in tank 40 passes through a conduit 43 intopipe 35 leading to the compressor. This conduit 43 connects to tank 40adjacent the top thereof.

It is evident that the system produces rapid convection currents ofcooling air; and in addition a large cooling surface, formed by conduit42, is effective to equalize the temperature. It is to be noted that butone of the chambers 36, 40, is in direct connection with the refrigerantsupply; the other chamw capacity. Such a system is showndiagrammatically in Fig. 4. In this case, the large cabinet 44 has threetanks 45, 46 and 47. The center tank 46 is connected to the outlet of acompressor, as by pipe 48, whereby refrigerant in a liquid state issupplied to the systerm. The other chambers 45 and 47 are each connectedto chamber 46 through convoluted conduits 49 and 50, similar to conduit42, and arranged near the liquid level in the chambers. A common returnpipe 51 connects to the vapor space in all three chambers.

' It is evident that. this arrangement can be further multiplied by theaddition of further containers and convoluted pipes.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator, means forming a space to be cooled, a plurality ofcontainers in said space, means for leading refrigerant to one of saidcontainers, means for conducting refrigerant away from all of saidcontainers, and means whereby refrigerant is distributed from said onecontainer to the others, com prising a convoluted conduit.

2. In a refrigerator, means forming a space to be cooled, a pair ofcylindrical, vertically arranged, double-walled containers in to becooled, a palr of closed contamers, one

adjacent each end of the space, and each having an open flue extendingsubstantially vertically therethrough, and connections between thecontainers for providing a circulatory sipace for the refrigerant.

n combination, means forming a space 'to be cooled, a plurality ofclosed double walled containers in said space, each container having aclear upright flue therethrough,

, and having substantial volume so as to accommodate a refrigerant, andto permit it to ex and, and connections between the contamersforproviding a circulatory space for I the refri erant.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto "set; my hand.

WILFRED FOURNESS.

